Memorial Day began not in one place but in many. Hilltop cemeteries across the North, behind old stone churches and meetings, with long views across the farms. On the grass where fathers and mothers — the ones who could find the corpse among the slain — laid their boys. After the war, everyone wanted to […]

The private word from the people who are closest to these things is that Iraq is doing slightly better than most Americans think it is, and Afghanistanis in much more danger than most of us realize. Chances are you’ll be seeing more about it in the months to come, and it won’t be purple-fingered “good […]

It’s hard to report good news in Iraq when senseless violence like this is happening. The coach of Iraq’s tennis team and two players were shot dead in Baghdad on Thursday, said Iraqi Olympic officials. [...] Witnesses said the three were dressed in shorts and were killed days after militants issued a warning forbidding the […]

This administration has to be cussing this one… BAGHDAD, Iraq, May 26 ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬? Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari of Iraq today endorsed the right of Iran to pursue the “technological and scientific capabilities” needed to create nuclear power for peaceful purposes, in the first high-level meeting between officials from the new Iraqi government and its eastern […]

“We’re shocked. This is not the outcome we expected.” So said Ken Lay after his conviction on fraud and conspiracy charges relating to the collapse of Enron. Shocked? Really? My theory is that he really doesnÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t believe he did anything wrong because he never intended anyone to get hurt. If someone breaks into my house […]

Profane, independent, cranky? Or just another mask for another political audience — a mirrored room full of worldly high rollers? Jason Horowitz writes in the New York Observer: For all the national attention surrounding John McCainÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s two highly anticipated, protest-ridden commencement speeches in New York last week, the Senator actually saved some of his best […]

Yehudit sounds the alert for an international effort on behalf of Egyptian dissidents. Their numbers include some bloggers who have a following here in the U.S. Sandmonkey alerts us to a campaign of worldwide protests in support of jailed Egyptian dissidents, taking place today and tomorrow. The protest in the US are organized by International […]

My name is Daniel DiRito and I have been blogging at www.thoughttheater.com since March. While I have been a frequent commenter here at Donklephant, this is my first posting. I want to thank Justin for the invitation and the opportunity. Hopefully, my diverse curiosities will offer you, the readers, some additional perspectives on prior topics […]